


The first time Aeris walked on...

by sanctum_c



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Community: fan_flashworks, Gen, Originally Posted on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-06-22
Packaged: 2018-11-17 11:29:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11274516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: Aerith likes to walk bare-foot over new terrain





	The first time Aeris walked on...

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt 'toes'

...grass was the morning after they arrived in Kalm. The group delayed until they had gathered supplies and provisions for the trek ahead. Grass was amazing; so much of it and growing so easily. The notion of walking on it never occurred to her before; in Midgar she had the choice of poisoned ground or damaging her flowers. At Tifa's suggestion, Aeris pulled her boots off and stepped from the ring of devastation into the grassland. The grass was soft, still wet with the morning dew. The faint voice of the Planet grew louder and she welcomed its presence.

...a wooden floor was at Fort Condor. Unlike the church floor, the floor here was varnished and free from splinters. Aeris padded on tiptoe between the sleeping forms of her companions, crowded together in a single hotel room on sleeping mats. Slowly, carefully, barely daring to breath; she knelt beside Cloud, hand over his mouth and whispering in his ear to wake him. He awoke with a start, calming as he saw her. A smile, her hand away from his mouth and she nodded away from the others. He nodded back, slipped his boots off and silently padded after her.

...sand was an afternoon in Costa del Sol. A chance to relax after their long hike and the horrific events on the boat. The sun was hot on her exposed skin and the sand scorched her feet, forcing her to hop from foot to foot until she ran down into the water. The sea was cold, more sand beneath her feet, thankfully cooler. Aeris splashed in the shallows, wary of venturing further out to where the ocean deepened. Later as the sun set, the air cooled and the wind picked up, Aeris washed the dried sand from between her toes.

...rock was as Avalanche sat beside the Cosmo Candle at twilight. The rock was still warm after baking in the hot sun for much of the day, smoothed by the passage of thousands of feet over decades. Aeris padded away from the fire, myriad thoughts swirling in her head. Implied truths about Zack, the stark realities of her heritage and the lack of anyone else like her. She came here looking for answers, but none were what she hoped for. But there were other discoveries along the way. Aeris wandered back over to Cloud and the distraction he could provide.

...materia was in the cave half-way up Mount Nibel. The turbulent weather of the mountain forced them to seek shelter as night fell. The floor coated with layer after layer of crystalised mako, it must have welled up from the ground when the fountain was still active. Once camp was ready for the night, Aeris padded across the materia, each foot-step causing minute sparks in the crystal, flickers of temporary knowledge in her mind that faded a moment later. There was something else beyond it, some greater knowledge to be had, but too hard to focus on it here.


End file.
